KING, KlimaINnovationsstadt Graz - Strategies and actions for a climate-neutral Graz

With the preparation of a climate protection plan by autumn 2021, a central cornerstone for achieving climate neutrality in Graz has been laid. KING builds on this climate protection plan and further develops and specifies the key measures defined therein in a comprehensive participation and consultation process.

Short Description

The City of Graz is the second largest city in Austria with around 295,000 inhabitants. Based on existing climate protection and urban development strategies, the structural embedding of a climate protection coordinator, experience in the implementation of urban development contracts and the decision of the Graz City Council to develop a comprehensive climate protection plan in November 2020, the City of Graz decided to apply for the Fit4UrbanMission project "KING-Climate Innovation City Graz".

The project pursued the objectives of supporting and further developing the climate protection plan process and supplementing it at neighbourhood level. Therefore, the following main tasks were worked on in the project:

Further development of objectives and measures to be developed with the framework of the Climate Protection Plan Graz process in a broad participation and consultation process,
Preparation for the further phases of the Climate Protection Plan Graz process,
Investigation of the possibilities to realise climate neutrality at neighbourhood level by 2030
Preparation and submission to the Horizon Europe Mission "100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030",
Comprehensive information of the public and relevant stakeholders as well as active exchange with other Austrian cities for know-how transfer.

In accordance with these goals and measures, partners of the City of Graz from the Executive Office for urban planning, construction and development, the Environmental Department and the Graz Energy Agency implemented the project.

The following results were achieved:

Due to the embedding of the KING project in the overall process of developing the climate protection plan, essential project results are of great political relevance.
Implementation of a multi-stakeholder process in the preparation of the "Climate Protection Plan Graz - Part 1" made it possible to involve internal and external experts, business representatives and interested civil society.
A significant part of the results of the KING project are an integral part of the unanimous municipal council resolution of March 2022 to adopt the Climate Protection Plan Graz Part 1 - Opening Balance (city-wide CO₂-neutrality in 2040 at the latest or before) and to initiate Phase 2 - Action Plans.
At the neighbourhood level, city-wide climate protection and urban development strategies could be interlinked. The results for measures and roll-out strategy will be further developed into a roll-out guideline within the city.
The political commitment to climate protection goals has increased through the Fit4Urban mission project and the application for the EU mission "100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030".

Project Partners

Project management

City of Graz - Executive Office for Urban Planning, Development and Construction, EU Unit

Project or cooperation partners

City of Graz – environmental office
Grazer Energieagentur Ges.m.b.H

Contact Address

City of Graz
Executive Office for Urban Planning, Development and Construction, EU Unit
Mag. Christian Nußmüller
Europaplatz 20/5
A-8020 Graz
Tel.: +43 (316) 872-3509
E-mail: christian.nussmueller@stadt.graz.at
Web: www.graz.at